Automatic control for centrifugal machines



3 Sheets-Sheet l E. ROBERTS c l l l l I l l l I I I I June 7, 1932.

AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOR CENTRIFUGAL MACHINES Filed April 25, 1929 wt N I III [III III" [II] II II June 7, 1932. E. ROBERTS AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOR CENTRIFUGAL MACHINES Filed April 23,

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E. ROBE RTS AUTOMATIC CONTROL FO R CENTRIFUGAL MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 25, 1929 w m a 5M m w I July 2, 1929.

Patented June 7, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EUGENE ROBERTS, OI HASTINGS,

NEW YORK, ASSICNOR TO THE WESTERN STATES MA- CHINE COMPANY, OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, A CORPORATION OF UTAH AUTOMATIC CONTBOL FOR Application filed April 23,

This invention relates to the automatic control of centrifugal machines for the purlfication of sugar or like material and is in the nature of-an improvement upon, and addition to, the apparatus forming the subject of my copendlng Patent No. 1,719,132 dated In the aforesaid copending patent the control lever was so interconnected with the starting mechanism, the timer and the brake actuating mechanism, that the starting operation was eflected by throwing the starting lever against the heavy tension of the brake setting spring. Furthermore, when the control lever was released it swung back under the powerful tension of the brake setting spring and might strike the operator if he should be in its path of movement. The present invention improves the apparatus in these particulars. in that a starting lever is provided that can be operated to different speed actuating positions without having to overcome and wind up the brake setting spring, while the brake setting arm is normally released from engagement with the brake setting'mechanism so that when the brakeis actuated by its spring there need be no movement of this long lever when the brake is being automatically set.

further important feature of improvment consists inthe construction and arrangement by which the timer mechanism and the sprayer controller mechanism is removed from the centrifugal curb where it has been located heretofore, and where it is subj ect to the sugar fumes from the basket, and is placed overhead in a position that no longor involves the gumming up of the mechanism and of the timing cams by the sticky sugar fumes, only the oscillating spray nozzle being mounted on the curb.

Still another feature of improvement resides in the arrangement and construction by which the tilt pan, which diverts the extracted syrup in one ofi'take compartment or trough and the wash waters into a separate compartment or trough, is automatically controlled so that when the purging operation CENTRIFUGAL MACHINES 1929. Serial No. 857,501.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a simple, convenient and effective construction and arrangement of apparatus embodying the principles of the present invention, in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation showing the general arrangement of the whole machine partly shown therein.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the control apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is across sectional elevation in the plane viewed in the direction of the arrows 3-3 on Fig. 1.

.Fig. 4 is a cross section in elevation showing particularly the brake setting and brake releasing mechanism viewed in the direction of the arrows 4-4 on Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is avertical elevation on the plane 5-'-5 on Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the'control i pparatus as viewed from the left end of ig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a detail view on a small scale showing the basket enclosing curb or casing with the automatically controlled tilt pan which directs the extracted syrup and the extracted wash water into separate recepta- 0 es.

apparatus with reference to the associated centrifugal It will be understood. that the present im- Y the machine started in action performs with- 96 out further attendance the successive opera-' tions of purging or separating the free syrup content from the sugar crystals, second, the washing by directing a propefis ray against the walled-up sugar in the revo ving basket" fourth, stopping the machine, all of to wash off the sticky coating adhering to the the grains, third, partly drying the washed sugar after the sprayer has ceased, and which operations are standardized as to duration by giving each operation a definite predeteia mined period of duration which can be varied by adjustments of the apparatus to suit the requirements of the particular run ofsugar that is being treated. I l

The centrifugal to which the control apparatus is applied in the-drawings ,isof the well known gyratory suspended type comprising agyratory basket shaft 12, to whose lower end is secured the centrifugal basket mounted inside the curb or casing B in the usual way. Such cent-rifugals are usually suspended in a battery of machines arranged side by side and suspended from overhead longitudinal beams a arranged in front of the big mixing tank which supplies the sugar for the individual machines of the battery. The centrifugal illustrated is of a type constructed being turned thereon the bracket a.

to be driven by an overhead, direct connected, electric motor which, however,'is not shown, as such arrangements are well known in the art and its illustration herein would tend to unnecessarily confuse the drawings.

The solid basket shaft 12 has its upper end enlarged, as at 12, to provide room for internal bearings between the portion 12 and the gyratory suspending sleeve 13, which may be mounted according to usual practice in a suspension hanger.

In the present showing of the invention the entire control mechanism is carried by longitudinal beams a running along the front of the mixer trou h or tank above the forward portion of the centrifugal basket.

The timer and the sprayer mechanism of each centrifugal is actuated from a horizontal power shaft 90, that is mounted in brackets a, afland a carried on the front of the overhead beam as. I I

I will first describe the brake actuating mechanism by which the brake is automatically set after a predetermined period, under the control of the timer, and by which the brake is released or unset by the operator preparatory to starting the machine.

The brake actuating shaft 1 is mounted in the brackets a a, and carries at one end an adjustable spanner tensioning nut 2, which is secured to that end of the shaft to permit its and then fastened thereto by any means such as a set screw in order to give the brake setting or actuating torsion spring 3 the desired tension. One end of said spring is hooked around a pin carried by the adjustable .nut 2, while the opposite end of said spring is hooked around ananchoring pin 4 carried by a collar 4 fixedly secured to On the opposite side ofthe bracket a is secured to this rock shaft 1 a sleeve 5 proshaft 1, so that as long earers 6 having swivel vided with a projecting arm the rearwardly and pivotal connection with extending link 7 8, which is connected to the rear end of the link 7 by a swivel and pivotal joint, as shown at 8". The brake actuating arm 8 is secured on a vertical spindle 9, to which are attached on opposite sides of the center toggle links 10 pivotally connected with the outer or free ends of the brake shoes 11 that are fulcrumed on a vertical spindle 11 so as to be expanded outwardly by the clockwise rotation of the brake spindle or shaft 9 into powerful frictional engagement with the interior of the brake pulley 14 that is secured to the upper end of the gyratory basket shaft, as shown in Fig. 2. Obviously the rearward movement of the arm 6 project-' ing and spring tensioning lever 15 is provided with a hub or sleeve 15 fittin over the hub or sleeve 5, which carries the rake arm 6. Normally, this brake arm 15 is loose on the sleeve 5 or disconnected with the rock shaft 1. When, however, the operator wishes to release the brake, through a hand. grip pin 16 working against spring resistance, he throws the upper end of the pin into an engaging recess 5? on the hub 5 of thebrake actuating arm 6. When thus engaged or interlocked, a rearward push on the brake lever 15 serves, through the connections described, to unset the brake, while at the same time winding the torsion spring 3 to increased tension. When the brake releasing arm 15 has reached its rearward limit of movement, the rock shaft is locked in that position by means of a pivotal hook latch 20which engages a projection or pin 17 a that projects laterall from a collar 17 that is secured to the roc as the hook latch-is engaged with the pro ection 17 the brake setting shaft is held against return movement by the torsion spring 3.

The starting lever 23 is mounted on an independent but coaxial shaft 22, to which it is splined, this shaft being rotatably mounted in the bearing bracket 0, and in a bearing recess formed on the adjacent end of the rock shaft 1 into which it telescopes. This collar or disk 17 is provided vwith a laterally projecting pin 17 which extends behind, and in the path of, the starting lever or handle 23, so that if the brake has not been unset or moved to release\position the starting handle 23 will abut against this pin 17 that connects it with the brake expanding arm preventing its moving to starting position, unless the brake has been released. Secured to, or connected with, this control rock shaft 22 is a drive energizing arm, in this case comprising a switch arm 24, which is movable over and in contact with a low speed terminal 26, a high speed terminal 27 of separate motor circuits, and a terminal that is common to both circuits. In its idle or inactive position the handle 23 is in its forward position and the-switch arm 24 is in open or non-energizing position at the rear. The first rearward movement of the handle 23 establishes contact with the low speed circuit terminal 26, while the further movement of the handle 23 to the rearward closes the high speed circuit terminal 27. The first speed is used when loading the machine and also if a discharging plow be used when the machiiiie is being unloaded or discharged of its loa Not only is the starting handle interrelated with the brake controlling rock shaft 1,

so as to prevent closing the switch when the brake is set, but means are provided for yieldingly-retaining the starting handle in its three positions, namely, first speed, second speed and inactive, which means com-' p'ises in this case a rounded end spring pin 1 b to the rock shaft 1 and adapted to engage any one of a series of three sockets or holes 23 on the hub portion 23 of the starting lever 23. This interlocking connection is very 'easily released, its object being merely to prevent accidental displacement of the starting lever or switch control lever from any position to which it may be shifted. Obviously, when the brake actuating rock shaft 1 is released, the forward movement of the pin 17 produced by the brake setting movement of the rock shaft serves to push the switch arm forward to open circuit position, so that before the brake the motor circuit is broken.

The timing mechanism is of very similar construction to that previously described in my aforesaid application insofar as it embraces an adjustable three-disk timing element driven through an actuating clutch from a rotating shaft to start the sprayer in action by opening the cut-off valve, shutting off the sprayer after a predetermined but variable period of spraying, and after a predetermined but variable period of drying, releasing said clutch, allowing the timer to return to initial position and at the same time releasingthe brake retaining latch 20 against the tension of the latch setting spring 21 to allow the torsion spring 3 to set the brake and open the motor controllingswitch. It differs from the timer and spraying mechanism shown and described in said earlier application in respect to its location above the centrifugal instead of on the curb, its bemounted in the collar 17 that is secured is set by the spring.

ing driven from the overhead continuously running shaft 90 and its being connected with the tilt pan in order to automatically separate the centrifuged syrup and wash water from each other.

Let us assume that we find the machine with the apparatus in the position that it would have after the entire cycle has been completed with the machine held at rest by the brake, the switch open and the tilt pan, which will be presently described, in the positionthat it has occupied when diverting the wash water into its appropriate conduit or receptacle 58". Before starting the machine the operator, through the medium of the grip pin 16, operatively engages the brake releasing and spring winding lever 15 with the rock shaft 1, then forces the lever to the rear until the stop pin 17' engaged with the hook latch 20. This leaves the starting switch handle 23 free to be moved from inactive or open position to first speed position against the terminal 26, which speed continues for a brief period during the charging or loading of the machine with the sugar to be treated. The handle 23 is then pushed further to the rear to engage the high speed contact 27 to close the high speed circuit and bring the machine up to operating speed. Through an arm 30, secured to the rock shaft 22, and a connecting link 34, a bell crank arm 35 is actuated to swing the clutch shipper arm 37 to the I right (Fig. 1) by means of the connecting link 36 so as to throw the intermittently rotated clutch member 38, which carries the timer disks 43, into active engagement with the continuously rotating clutch member 39 secured to the continuously running shaft 42, which is driven by means of the spur gear 41 intermeshing with its driving pinion 40 secured to the constantly running shaft 90. This starts the purging operation, that is, the centrifugal separation or extraction of the free syrup from the sugar grains.

' After a predetermined period of purging, however, the spray is applied by mechanism similar to that shown in my aforesaid application and illustrated somewhat in detail in Fig. 3, to which reference will now be made. From its initial point the first bunt cam ongages a projection or dog 50* on the vertical latch 50, forcing the latch 50 downward until its lateral shoulder or notch engages beneath the stop bar 51. This downward movement the arm 52 secured to the rock shaft 52*, acts to lift the valve stem 53 and open the valve, thereby admitting the wash water into the spray supply pipe 81 which leads downward to the oscillating hollow spray nozzle 82, which directs a fine fan-shape spray against the walled-up sugar inside the centrifugal basket, as shown in Fig. 1. As will be explained this nozzle is continuously oscillated has ridden by and is.

- 129 of the latch 50, through its connection with a whether the control valve is open or closed.

The rotation of this rock shaft 52 in a c-ounter-clockwise direction swings the arm 56 outwardly from beneath the hook latch 57 that is mounted on the tilt pan actuator 57, thereby allowing member 57to drop of its own weight, thus reversing the tilt pan 58 to which this arm is pivotally attached so as to direct the wash liquor issuing through the delivery nozzle 5 into the compartment or receptacle 58 intended to receive the wash liquor.

After a predetermined period governed by the setting of the timer the valve controlling latch is knocked off, through the agency of the knockoff latch which is engaged by a bunt or projection on the adjacent cam ring so that under the influence of contractile spring 55* the valve is closed cutting oil the wash water.

T he timer shalt continues to rotate through a further are until a hunt or projection on one of its cam rings strikes against the lower side of the rock arm =81 pivoted on the timer. casing or box, which arm 61 is connected with an angularly disposed arm '62 forming a bell crank lever -for pulling the link 63 against the tension of the retractile spring 21 to unlatch the hook arm or latch 20 from its retaining" engagement with the projection 17 on the brake shaft collar 17. /Vhen thus released at the proper time according to the setting of the latch controlling cam, the brake shaft 1 is rotated by the torsion spring 3 so as to swing the brake controlling arm 6 for wa-rdly, thus expanding the brake shoes powerfully into braking or friction contact with the interior of the pulley l4.

At the same time, the pin 17 on the brake shaft collar 17 pushes the hand starting lever .23 forwardly, thus opening the switch and disengaging the timer clutch 38 from its driving clutch member 39. The machine stops at an exactly predetermined period according to the tension applied to the brake setting spring 3 and the timer shaft is returned to initial position by a return spring, not shown, as described in my aforesaid application.

Turning more particularly to the tilt pan actuating mechanism above referred to, it will be understood that the tilt pan 58, as shown in Fig. 7, is actuated by a vertical connecting rod 57 whose upward movement tilts the pivotal pan so as to direct the syrup, extracted in the purging operation and discharged through the ofl'talre nozzle 7), into the syrup conduit or receptacle 58 whereas the dropping of the tilt actuating rod 57 reverses the position of the tilt pan so as to direct the wash liquor into the receptacle or conduit 58*.

Since the washing and drying out of the Wash water are the final steps in operating on the sugar, it will be seen that when the centrifugal is stopped'by the brake, the tilt pan actuator 57 will be dropped down with the tilt pan 58 discharging into the wash liquor receptacle 58. Now before the purging operation is started, the tilt pan should be reversed to discharge into the syrup receptacle 58 by the lifting of the actuator rod 57. This is accomplished by means of an arm secured to the left end of the starting rock shaft '22, which is provided with apivotal lacth or dog 71 arranged to engage the arm 72 secured to a short rock shaft 7 3, to which is also secured an approximately horizontal arm 74 that is slotted to receive a pin pro- .iecting from the side of the tilt pan actuator 57. @bviously, when the rock shaft 22 is rotated to swing the tilt pan actuating arm 70 rearwardly to the position shown in Fig. 3, its tip will engage the arm 72 when the rod 5'? is in its lowermost position and through the connecting arm 74 lift the rod 57 to raised position, as indicated in Fig. 3, where it is retained by means of a spring pressed retaining hook latch 57 pivotally mounted on the side of the bar 57 so as to engage the adjacent projecting end of anarm 58, that is secured to the valve controlling rock shaft 52 and which lies in position to engage and sustain the hook latch 57 when the sprayer valve 53 is closed. When, however, the sprayer valve is opened in the manner already described by forcing down the controlling latch bar 50, the arm 56 that supports the tilt plate bar 57 is disengaged from the latch 57, thus allowing the bar 5'? to drop and shift the tilt pan to position to direct the wash liquor into receptacle 58".

Therefore, it will be seen that before the purging operation starts the tilt pan rod is lifted in the very act of starting the machine so as to direct the syrup into its proper conduit, while simultaneously with the starting of the sprayer the tilt pan is tipped to divert the wash liquor into its appropriate receptacle and thus the setting of the tilt pan is completely coordinated with the related operations or the centrifugal so that the operator is not required to pay any attention to this part of the mechanism, which is thus automatically controlled.

While the control apparatus has been described in connection with a motor driven machine of a well known type in which the motor shaft 0 is located above and in alignment with the axis of the basket shaft. ac-

cording to well known practice, it will of course be obvious that the same principle of control is applicable to the ordinary and well known type of belt driven machine in which the driving belt passes around the outside of the brake pulley and is driven through a clutch connection with a line shaft at the rear of the machine. Obviously the starting or drive-energizing shaft 22 could have its arm 24 operatively connected with a clutch instead of with a switch panel for an electric shaft mounted adjacent motor, as shown and described in an earlier filed copending application filed by me December 8, 1925, Serial No. 74,111.

The oscillatory spray nozzle 82 is fulcrumed on a bracket 82 secured to the top of the curb or casing B and is constantly oscillated by means of the arm 80 connected by a link 68 with a pivotal arm 69, that is oscillated by a cam 67 that is compounded with a pinion 66 that is driven by a train of gearing 66 from a pinion secured to the continuously rotating shaft 1. The wash water is conducted from the overhead sprayer to the 0'scillatory nozzle by means of the hose pipe connection 81 leading from the cut-off valve chamber.

What I claim is: 1

1. Apparatus for-controlling the operation of sugar centrifugals and the like embracing in combination with a gyratory centrifugal and its driving means, a self setting brake, means for moving the brake against yielding resistance to for releasabl retaining it there, independently movable manually operable starting means for starting the centrifugal, a sprayer, a timer set in action by the starting means and coordinated with the sprayer to start and stop the same at predetermined intervals and acting after a further predetermined interval to release the brake thereby allowing the brake to set itself and 'move the starting means to inactive position.

2. The combination with a gyratory centrifugal of a self setting brake, means for starting the centrifugal by movement independent of the brake, a sprayer, a timing mechanism set in action by the starting means and operatively controlling the starting and the stopping of the sprayer, and means releasable by the timer for holding the brake mechanism at inactive position, said starting means being shiftable to inactive position by the action of the brake mechanism.

3. The combination with a gyratory centrifugal, of a self setting brake normally held at inactive position duringthe operation of the centrifugal, a manually operable lever having releasable connection with the brake mechanism for moving the brake to inactive position independently of the centrifugal starting means, manually operable starting means, a sprayer, a timer mechanism controlling the operation of the sprayer and acting after a predetermined period to release the self setting brake and move the starting means to inactive position, while allowing the brake lever to remain at rest.

4. The combination with a suspended gyratory centrifugal provided with driving and braking mechanism at its upper end, of an overhead rock shaft mounted adjacent to said mechanism and operatively connected there with, a continuously running timer driving inactive position and to said rock shaft,

an overhead timer actuating countershaft arranged adjacent to both said shafts and having intermittent driven connection with said continuously running shaft, timer members secured to said timer actuating shaft to actuate said rock shaft after a predetermined but variable interval to cut off the centrifugal driving mechanism and set the brake.

5. The combination with a battery of suspended gyratory centrifugals provided at their upperends with driving and braking mechanism,a rock shaft for each centrifugal arranged adjacent to said driving and braking mechanism and having connection there with to control the same, a horizontal overhead continuously running line shaft arranged adjacent to said rock shaft, individual tlmer mechanism for each centrifugal located adjacent to said line shaft near its centrifugal, including timer members rotated by an intermittent connection with said line shaft, said timer members acting upon intermediate connections to actuate said rock shaft to cut off the drive and set the brake for its centrifugal.

6. Centrifugal apparatus embracing in combination with a gyratory suspended centrifugal provided with driving and braking mechanism at its upper end, an overhead manually controllable rock shaft mounted adjacentto the driving and braking mechanism and operatively connected therewith,-a continuously running horizontal drive shaft arranged adjacent said rock shaft, a timer actuating shaft arranged adjacent said continuously running shaft and having intermittent driven connection therewith, a cut-off valve for controlling the admission of spray liquid to the centrifugal mounted adjacent said timer, and timer members secured to said countershaft and operatively associated With said rock shaft and said cut-01f valve to open and close said valve, cut off the driving mechanism and set the brake at predetermined but variable intervals after the starting of the centrifugal.

7. The combination with a gyratory suspended centrifugal, means for driving said centrifugal, a starting lever manually oper able to energize said driving means to start the centrifugal, a spring-actuated brake for stopping the centrlfugal, a brake-releasing lever normally disconnected with the brakelishing energizing relation between the driv 5mg means end the een'trri'511; ;211' e "brake meel1- enism embracing in its construction e reek shaft normally rotatable under spring tension to set the brake a releasable manually operable brake lever having means for ope? etively connecting it "with rock she'f't, said rook shaft being provided with prejeoting stop arranged in the path of starting lever, means for normally preventing the rock shaft from being rotated by its spring to brake-setting position, automatic timing mechanism energized through the movement of the starting lever to starting position and acting, aftere predetermined period, to shift the starting lever to inactive position-end release the brake to permit the brake-actuating spfi ing to set the brake, substantially as cle- In Witness whereof I have eubseribecl the above speelfioatlon.

EBGENE RUBERTSQ 

